Start-Up Chile

The World's Most Innovative Companies 2017Thanks to a government-funded initiative to bring talent to Chile, the country is now being referred to as "Chilecon Valley." The technology and startup boom is in full swing in the South American country, and at the root of it all is Start-Up Chile, an incubator and accelerator that gives selected up-and-coming startups $40,000 in non-equity funding and a six-month residency in Santiago, all for the purpose of boosting innovation and enlivening Chile's economy. The numbers speak for themselves: more than 1,200 startups in 72 countries have graduated the program, and they've gone on to raise more than $100 million and create 1,500 jobs in the process. One problem the startup faces is keeping participants in the country after they've graduated the program. That's why it launched SCALE in early 2015, a new program for graduates of Start-Up Chile that provides $100,000 in additional funding as long as the participants incorporate in and run there business from Chile.